Enterprise social networks can include consumer social networks, for example, Facebook® and Twitter® have been specially adapted to or adopted by an enterprise, or can include social networks specifically designed for the enterprise environment. For example, Chatter®, which is offered by salesforce.com, inc. of San Francisco, Calif., is an example of an enterprise social network that can be adapted or adopted by an enterprise. Social networks often contain large amounts of data for each user, because each user can contribute, collaborate, and share information with other social network users. In the enterprise environment, this information can include postings on the status of a deal or project, short summaries of what the posting user is doing, and/or public online conversations about a certain topic on a feed or “wall.” Because this information is published to a social network, the information can provide a false value to the social network, e.g., the most “influential” user. For example, an influential user can have a large number of followers, or may publish postings that are re-published to others users and/or are often receive the largest number of comments.
While following or commenting on another user's posts is one way to identify influential users, this measure of influence is only related to content posted on a user's feed. In other words, influence is directly related to actions by the user on the social network. However, this may not provide a complete picture of the user's value to the enterprise. For example, a user may have a large amount of time to post and not actually perform the user's expected tasks on behalf of the enterprise. In addition, the enterprise social network may not capture all of the employee's activities that merit recognition. For example, if an employee helps another employee on a project but the project does not have related content on an enterprise social network, or neither employee mentions that another employee helped with a project, this collaboration may not be recorded on the enterprise social network. As a result, it would be helpful to motivate recordings of such mutually beneficial conduct on the enterprise social network, so that such work can be recognized and possibly rewarded for the employee's actions. Alternatively or additionally, an employee may be helping others on projects that are unrelated to that employee's primary job responsibilities. Such generous acts would likely not be traceable, either on the enterprise social network or otherwise. Therefore, providing a forum for awarding employees for work outside of their primary job responsibilities and/or awarding employees who went above and beyond their primary job responsibilities would be beneficial. Such a forum for providing a recognition forum for employees regardless of job title, such that peers or employees can recognize each other's achievements would be beneficial and can create a more pleasant work environment.